AFD plans to purchase in-service ambulances

Published 10:16 pm, Thursday, August 25, 2016

ALTON — The Alton City Council’s actions Wednesday night allowing Alton to implement an ambulance service reflect a pared-down plan, both in number of ambulances and projected revenue.

“We are going to buy two ambulances, one for the frontline and one for reserve, and we are not going to hire additional staff,” said Chief Bernie Sebold of the Alton Fire Department. “Because we only will operate one ambulance, our net revenue estimate now is $250,000 to $300,000” per year, based on 1,600 runs with a collection rate of 46 percent.

Previously, Sebold had planned on buying three ambulances, running two and having a third truck in reserve in case one of the units is being repaired. With that fleet, Sebold had expected to hire three more firefighters. With one ambulance in service, though, it will not be necessary to hire more staff, he said. He also had predicted the service would bring in a net, $500,000 per year, but one less ambulance means less revenue.

“We will not be taking all (EMS) emergency medical services calls, we still will be calling LifeStar Ambulance Service and Alton Memorial Ambulance Service when our ambulance is out of service,” Sebold said. LifeStar goes to calls at the west side of town, and Alton Memorial Ambulance goes to calls on the east half of Alton.

The service would begin by April 1, 2017, and only respond to calls within city limits.

During discussion portion of the City Council meeting, two area fire chiefs whose departments have ambulance services spoke in support of Sebold’s plan. The owner of LifeStar gave his reasons for opposing the plan.

Chief Vince Martinez, of the Granite City Fire Department , said the ambulances there generate $1.1 million in revenue annually. “The level of service we provide is close to the epitome of professionalism. What we bring is value to the city.”

Chief Rick Welle, of the Edwardsville Fire Department, said he trusts Sebold’s research and data. “I know Chief Sebold has been looking into this the past few months, he has consulted with me and crunched numbers. If he believes it will work, it will. He has the best interests of the Fire Department and best interest of the city in mind.”

Roger Campbell, president and chief executive officer of LifeStar, said taxpayers should not financially support a service that would compete with the two private ambulance companies, calling it “morally wrong.”

“Those companies will have to cut staffing and lay off help,” he said. “We would have to downsize….and if it is unprofitable, leave Alton. This will drive costs up. This area only needs 3.5 to four units per day. Are there excess firemen to also fight fires?”

Campbell said LifeStar has been in Alton for more than 37 years, and predicted the AFD service would run up a deficit of $860,000 to $1.9 million.

After a 20-minute closed session, aldermen approved: a memorandum of understanding with Alton Firefighters Local 1255, which expires along with its current labor contract on March 31, 2018; a resolution allowing officials to sign an agreement with Andres Medical Billing Ltd. of Arlington Heights, Illinois, to do the patient/insurance companies billing, retaining 5 percent of the revenues; and a second resolution allowing the comptroller to solicit financial institutions for quotes to provide a line of credit with which AFD would purchase the ambulances.

After the meeting, Ryan said he got five or six calls from constituents, all against the city beginning the service.

“I voted against it for the same reason I voted against it way back when it first came up” a dozen years ago, he said. “It is a big gamble, along with a lot of other reasons.” He later told Sebold his “no” vote was not personal. Voters rejected two nonbinding resolutions regarding the city implementing an ambulance service on the March 16, 2004 ballot.

“I think it is a bad idea,” said Fleming. “I think we are opening up a can of worms. I hope I’m wrong. The citizens of Alton voted this down 12 years ago. I have confidence in Chief Sebold, but I don’t think we should be endangering a private business like LifeStar.”

Dan Rauschkolb, who attended the meeting and says he will run for mayor, said voters should have a chance once again to decide the matter. “I am disappointed it wasn’t put on the ballot for voters to decide,” he said.

Among items on Sebold’s fact sheet: AFD would cross-staff the ambulance and ladder truck with two personnel, operating from Station 2, 3212 College Ave. At minimum there would be one paramedic and one emergency medical technician-basic (EMT-B). AFD currently has 21 paramedics (EMT-P) and 16 EMTs. City workers would do all routine vehicle maintenance work not covered by warranty to save money, and there would be no extra insurance costs, it says.

Sebold previously estimated two refurbished ambulance trucks would cost about $180,000; AFD already has all the needed medical equipment for the ambulances, except for stretchers.

The memorandum, which Local 1255 approved August 8, says one captain and one engineer would man each ambulance; anyone hired after July 1, 2016 is required to obtain a paramedic license within 30 months of employment or be terminated, with the licensee then getting a pay increase per the labor contract; the city would pay for the training and maintaining the EMT-P license; the city still would maintain a minimum of two pumpers to respond to calls and be manned by members solely dedicated to each; and battalion chiefs are not required to work on an ambulance unless they choose to do so on overtime.